All parking is free for persons with handicapped placards in California

One of my cousins (lives in Fullerton) was telling me that in CA, or maybe just Orange County, if you had handicapped tags, you didn't have to pay for parking. No meters, no garages, nothing. In fact, she makes it a point to carpool with her friend who has a special needs kid when they go to Disney, to save a few bucks on the garage.

I met a handicapped driver here in MA and she told me she did not have to pay into parking meters or obey "1 hour parking" restrictions, but I don't know about parking garages; I'd be surprised if privately-owned ones had to let handicapped drivers park for free.

It's somewhat true in Massachusetts -- there's no time limit for on-street parking (there's usually a two-hour max in a business district, metered or not), and you usually don't have to pay the meter if you have HP or V (disabled veteran) plates or a placard. From the Registry:

Quote:

In Massachusetts: You may use your Disabled Placard in any parking space designated as HP parking. Other parking ordinances may be in effect, so obey all designated parking rules. For instance, if a sign says, "Residential Parking Only," then you must also have the proper residence parking authority. Massachusetts's law also allows vehicles with proper Disabled Parking authority to disregard most - but not all - public meter fees.

That's for public parking only, though, not private parking such as a garage.

I cut my foot badly when I lived in an area where the only parking was either metered or a cheap pay lot quite a ways away (where I usually parked), and I was pleasantly surprised when my doc offered a temporary disabled parking placard I could use until the stitches came out. Unfortunately I didn't find out for at least a week, after breaking my sutures as I hiked back from the from the affordable parking. Live and learn, I guess.

I should note, though, that he didn't say anything about not having to pay for privately owned lots; my impression was that it just exempted me from paying for street parking.

Not that it's relevant but it's true here. My mum has a handicapped parking badge and when I take her out and about we don't pay for parking anywhere. We can also park at places where it's not generally allowed, such as a yellow (or double yellow) line.

On a yellow line or at a meter there's a two hour time limit (there's a sort of clock thing on the badge you set to your arrival time so the parking wardens can check it), but in a car park it's unlimited.

One of my cousins (lives in Fullerton) was telling me that in CA, or maybe just Orange County, if you had handicapped tags, you didn't have to pay for parking. No meters, no garages, nothing. In fact, she makes it a point to carpool with her friend who has a special needs kid when they go to Disney, to save a few bucks on the garage.

It may be a policy that Disney has, but there aren't any state laws imposing that private companies can never charge disabled people for parking.

The way public paid parking lots/garages downtown work here in Santa Barbara, everyone gets the first 75 minutes free, and you pay $1.50 for each additional hour. With a disabled placard you get the first 150 minutes free, so you get an additional 75 minutes before you have to pay. But at some point even disabled people do have to pay.

Persons in California who display a permanent or temporary disabled parking placard or have disabled parking plates on their vehicle can park for free at all public meters and garages for unlimited time. There is no time restriction in green zones, either. In addition, disabled can park in areas where residents have to display a permit to park on-street in their neighborhoods. Private garages/meters are another matter. Disabled have to abide by restrictions regarding tow-away zones, etc.